Tekken 8: Everything we know – Release date, trailers, character roster & more
Bandai NamcoTekken 8’s release date is locked in and so is the full character roster. That being said, here’s everything you need to know about the hotly anticipated fighting game as we near its launch.
Tekken 8 will be the latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise serving as the conclusion to the epic rivalry between Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama.
The plethora of trailers released for the game gave us a greater insight into the game and what to expect from the final product. The first trailer treated us to a fight between Jin and his villainous father, Kazuya Mishima, showing off what the game could look like in real-time.
With the anticipation building for the next release in the franchise, here’s everything we know so far about the next entry in the Tekken franchise.
Contents:
- Is there a release date for Tekken 8?
- Tekken 8: Platforms
- Tekken 8: Character roster
- Tekken 8: Trailers
Is there a release date for Tekken 8?
The release date for Tekken 8 was long speculated, with various leaks and comments from Bandai Namco leaving fans wanting something official.
The official release date was announced at a Gamescom presentation and has now been locked in for January 26, 2024.
Tekken 8: Platforms
It has been confirmed that Tekken 8 will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. No other platforms have been confirmed yet.
Character roster so far
Tekken 8’s roster is mostly made up of returning characters to the series. Between series mainstays like the brothers Mishima, King, and Paul to more recent additions like Claudio, the star-studded cast brings the very best the series has to offer.
Additionally, the very first series newcomer announced for Tekken 8, Azucena, was paired with returning favorite Raven in a dual announcement during EVO 2023.
You can find the full list of 32 confirmed fighters on our full roster hub. The game boasts a variety of new as well as returning characters.
The 31st fighter was revealed to be series newcomer Victor Chevalier, and the last fighter wouldn’t disappoint as yet another series newcomer. And, though Heihachi’s out, Reina seems to be coming in as a new Mishima.
Tekken 8: Trailers
Our first peek at Tekken 8 was from the teaser trailer at EVO 2022. It was a brief teaser that harkened back to days of old with footage from the very first Tekken game.
Since this is a clip taken from the teaser’s showing at EVO, you can hear the crowd erupt after seeing this new and improved Kazuya that’s a clear step up from his Tekken 7 character model.
A little over a month after this Tekken teaser, we would get a full trailer for the next Tekken game that confirmed it to be the next big entry in the series.
This trailer is real-time 60 FPS footage, meaning it isn’t pre-rendered like many game trailers. The final version, however, is subject to change.
We got to see the father and son rivals duke it out with some very familiar game mechanics in play. Electric attacks and slow-motion finishes were shown in the trailer.
As for the story, on December 9, 2022, Bandai Namco released a teaser trailer showcasing the narrative of the game, alongside some flashy gameplay animations and combos.
Then came the Tekken 8 keynote. Legendary Tekken developer Harada sat alongside Kohei Ikeda as the two introduced brand-new gameplay mechanics coming to Tekken 8.
These included things like the brand new Heat System and all the moves that have come along with its implementation, a revised Rage system, Guard damage, and other quality-of-life improvements that set the upcoming title apart from its predecessors.
Additionally, Tekken 8 had a full story mode and multiplayer arcade features revealed in a trailer at Gamescom. This trailer also revealed a great deal of new characters for the roster and a release date of January 26, 2024.
A Tekken 8 recap trailer was released on January 9, recounting the events of all the past games. The story recap is narrated by Succession actor Brian Cox, who tells you everything you need to know about the Tekken series lore before jumping into Tekken 8.
The official Tekken 8 launch trailer, released on January 18, showed off more information about the storyline and the customization options available in the game. The new trailer also got plenty of players hyped ahead of the game’s launch.
Is Tekken 8 coming to Xbox Game Pass? | How to play Tekken 8 beta | Tekken 8 crossplay & cross-progression | Tekken 8 PC requirements: Recommended & minimum specs | Will Tekken 8 be on Nintendo Switch? | Tekken 8 characters: Every confirmed fighter | Does Tekken 8 have crossplay? | Tekken 8 Heat system explained
